OpenAI launches ChatGPT Work, a GPT-5.6-powered autonomous AI agent that executes complex multi-step tasks across email, Slack, GitHub, and calendars for all paid subscribers starting at $20 per month, intensifying a fierce enterprise AI race against Anthropic and Microsoft as OpenAI eyes an IPO valuation of up to $852 billion.
AI training startup Mercor is in talks to raise funding at a $20 billion valuation after doubling revenue to a $2 billion annualized run rate in just four months, while acquiring AI agent training company Deeptune — signaling a strong rebound after a turbulent early 2026 marked by a data breach and contractor lawsuits.
Elon Musk publicly praises Anthropic as 'currently the leader in AI' while SpaceX locks the rival company into a massive $40 billion infrastructure deal, raising eyebrows over potential conflicts of interest and whether hosting a competitor's operations gives Musk's company unusual visibility into Anthropic's AI development.
OpenAI launches GPT-5.6 Sol, Terra, and Luna — boasting a 54% efficiency boost on coding tasks — as the $852 billion company battles rising competition from Meta and SpaceX while quietly filing confidential IPO paperwork with regulators.
AI chip startup SambaNova surges to an $11 billion valuation after raising $1 billion led by General Atlantic, with JPMorgan Chase deploying its systems and a U.S. IPO targeted for 2027 as it challenges Nvidia's dominance in the AI chip market.
OpenAI acquires Northslope, a Palantir-backed applied-AI firm, deploying hundreds of engineers directly inside client businesses to dominate enterprise AI implementation as competition shifts from model performance to real-world adoption.
OpenAI acquires applied AI firm Northslope to expand its team of engineers who embed directly with enterprise clients, signaling a major industry shift where AI companies are now competing head-to-head with traditional consulting firms to help businesses adopt and scale AI.
AI law startup Norm reaches unicorn status after raising $120 million in a Series C round led by Khosla Ventures, pushing its valuation to $1.2 billion as it disrupts traditional legal billing with AI agents supervised by human attorneys serving enterprise clients.
Samsung Electronics posts a jaw-dropping 19-fold surge in quarterly operating profit to $58 billion, yet shares plunge over 10% and trigger a market circuit-breaker in Seoul as sky-high investor expectations, fueled by a 150% stock rally tied to AI chip demand, go unmet.
Chinese smart glasses startup Even Realities hits a $1 billion unicorn valuation after securing $150 million in Tencent-backed funding, with its privacy-focused G2 glasses challenging Meta's dominance in a market that surged 167% year-over-year in Q1 2026.